Blaire Fleming, a graduate of the San Jose State University women’s volleyball team, has once again become a focal point for transgender athlete participation in college sports after another apparent boycott.

The final blow came when the Boise State women’s volleyball team was eliminated from the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament.

A statement from the team released Wednesday, which did not specifically mention Fleming, said: “The decision not to continue to participate in the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship tournament was not an easy one.”

“Our team overcame losses to earn a spot in the tournament field and fought to defeat Utah State in the first round on Wednesday. They should not miss this opportunity while waiting for a more thoughtful and better system that serves all athletes,” it added.

In response to NewsweekWhen asked for comment, a San Jose State spokesperson said, “During this time of Thanksgiving, we are especially grateful for those who continue to engage in civil and respectful discourse.”

“We celebrate and support all of our students, including our student-athletes, who fight for our community this holiday weekend.

“While we are disappointed with Boise State’s decision, our women’s volleyball team is preparing for Saturday’s game and looking forward to competing for the championship,” the spokesperson added.

Newsweek Fleming also reached out for comment via social media.

Boise State University joins others that have declined to play San Jose State this season, including the University of Wyoming and Southern Utah University.

Fleming is a native of Aldie, Virginia and is currently playing his third season at San Jose State. Previously, Fleming played 10 games for Coastal Carolina.

The PR major played 17 games and 61 sets in the 2023 season, although Fleming missed a few games due to injury.

According to television station WJAR, a lawsuit filed by several players, including reportedly one of Fleming’s teammates, sought to ban the player from competition on the grounds that the inclusion violated the protections of Title IX and elements of the U.S. Constitution.

A federal judge ruled that Fleming could compete and represent the team.

Fleming, along with fellow San Jose teammate Brooke Slusser, earned All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention, the team announced Tuesday.

Despite being identified as transgender by several media outlets, Fleming has not yet directly addressed gender assumptions in the media, they say The Daily Mail.

Fleming was defended by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who told an ESPN interviewer that discussing gender identity can be “extremely invasive and dehumanizing.”

“And it has, in some ways, ever happened to, I think, very few people. When my own personal identity and personality is turned into a culture war conversation topic, it completely strips me of my humanity. “It can be very difficult to keep going,” Thomas added.

According to a January 2024 YouGov poll, about 59 percent of Americans oppose allowing transgender athletes to participate on sports teams that match their gender identity, compared to 19 percent who support it.

What is Title IX?

Title IX is a landmark U.S. civil rights law enacted as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. According to the Department of Education, it prohibits discrimination based on gender in any educational programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

It states: “No person in the United States shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination on the basis of sex, any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

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